The-present invention relates to a quick-change vise jaw plate attachment system that is releasably secured, tightened, and locatable in each of the x, y, and z dimensions, thereby increasing efficiency and reducing cost.
In industry, there is a need to create easily removable custom shaped clamping jaws to hold an odd shaped work piece, because conventional flat-faced vise jaws may distort the shape of this work piece when tightened in the vise. These custom contoured jaws are frequently referred to as xe2x80x9csoft jawsxe2x80x9d and the jaw plates they are attached to are referred to as the xe2x80x9chard jawsxe2x80x9d.
A machining operation must be able to switch between different types of work pieces on the same machine. When switching involves several different irregular shapes, the operator must switch between corresponding soft jaws. Since switchover time is lost production time, it is advantageous to provide for a quick release method of attaching soft jaws. Examples of quick release systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,022,010 and 4,898,371.
The present invention discloses a removable quick-change jaw system for a clamping system and a method for attaching the same, that locates a clamping jaw in the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis simultaneously. The machinable jaw, with truncated protrusions formed into its body, fits into a second jaw attached to the clamping body, and is secured to together by rotating a locking pin mechanism. The cam lock mechanism is mounted in the second jaw and provides an interference that pulls the machinable jaw into the rigid jaw.
An object of the present invention is to overcome several disadvantages present in the prior art. These advantages are as follows:
1. The present invention provides for securably locating the soft jaw in all three dimensions, x, y, and z. This is desirable because machining may be required to meet tolerances in depth, length, and width in the same operation. The prior art teaches the use of a slot in the soft jaw which slides over a type of engageable lock pull. This action can only locate the jaw in two directions. The location along the slot will not be repeatable within the required tolerance once the jaw is removed and recalled at a later time. Therefore, when tight tolerances are required, a new soft jaw must be mounted and machined. The present invention allows the soft jaws to be stored and recalled for additional production runs even on pieces that require tight tolerances, because the tapered protrusions, when locked to the hard jaw, relocate in all three dimensions.
2. The present invention provides for a self-releasing interface. Those skilled in the art recognize a self-releasing interface to comprise a taper with an included angle greater than 16 degrees. Prior art which teaches the use of a slot fitting over an engageable lock pull often requires an applied force such as a hammer in order to remove the soft jaw. This may damage the soft jaw. In one embodiment, the tapered protrusion of the soft jaw in the present invention has an included angle of 20 degrees. This allows the soft jaw to self-release from the hard jaw.
3. The present invention provides for a completely machinable interface. Soft jaws are utilized in industry by mounting a soft jaw blank in a vise. Then the soft jaw is machined to the required contour while in place. The machinable area is limited in the prior art due to the presence of the slot and a lock. The soft jaw could not be machined into the slot or damage to the interlocking mechanism may occur. The present invention presents no slotting or internal hardware within the soft jaw, thereby providing for greater adaptability to various shapes as well as a greater margin for error.
4. The present invention eliminated the need for removable fastening hardware. Some prior art designs teach the use of various types of fasteners, such as screws, to secure the soft jaw to the hard jaw. Others, such as the xe2x80x98010xe2x80x99 patent teach the use of a removable locking pin. Both of these result in loose hardware which can be easily lost. The present invention teaches a permanently installed locking pin within the hard jaw. This locking pin can secures the soft jaw protrusion by rotating the pin by 180 degrees. A return rotation of 180 degrees releases the soft jaw.
5. The present invention allows the hard jaw to function as a flat faced hard jaw when the soft jaw is uninstalled. Frequently, an operator is required to place a piece in the vise for additional machining wherein flat sides of the piece must be gripped by the vise jaws. The operator must remove the soft jaws in order to avoid damaging the contours. When the soft jaws are removed in the prior art, the remaining hard jaw presents locking hub protrusions that prevent conventional use. The present invention does not present these protrusions. It presents substantially a flat surface, thereby allowing conventional use.
6. Finally, the present invention reduces cost by eliminating parts, saving set up time, and extending the useful life of a soft jaw. The present invention consists of a soft jaw, a hard jaw, and cam lock mechanism. Prior art teaches the use of a soft jaw, hard jaw, wedge lock and wedge locking actuators. By eliminating the wedge lock, the present invention reduces costs by reducing the number of components. The present invention saves setup costs and extends the useful life of the soft jaw because the soft jaws can be stored and recalled repeatedly, whereas soft jaws taught by the prior art must often be re-machined from xe2x80x9cnewxe2x80x9d soft jaws when tight tolerances are required.
The present invention is a quick-change jaw system for use on a clamping mechanism, the clamping mechanism having a first pair of jaw members, each of the first pair of jaw members having a first longitudinal face, a second longitudinal face, and a jaw body. The present invention includes a second pair of jaw members, each of the second pair of jaw members having a jaw body, a first face being machinable for compressively engaging a work piece and an opposed second face, the second face having at least a first protrusion, the protrusion being engageable with a portion of a respective first jaw member. A locking pin member is actuable for lockingly engaging the protrusion with the respective first jaw member. Additionally, the present invention is a method for repeatably clamping a work piece for effecting desired working operations on the work piece.